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Archive for September, 2015

It’s hurricane season and make sure that you remember your pets when making disaster emergency plans! If you have to evacuate because a hurricane threatens the area in which you live, don’t forget about your cat of dog. Keep his pet carrier in a convenient place in case you have to get out fast. The instincts of your pet cannot be counted on to survive a disaster. Pack at least one weeks supply of pet food and always remember your pets leash. Make sure that you have the proper ID tags clearly visible on your pet. If you must go to a hotel or shelter, ask if it’s OK to bring your pet. It is very important that you don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate. Rescue officials may not let you take your pet. Keep up to date on all of the weather conditions and evacuate sooner rather than later. If you have no choice but to leave your pet home, make sure that he has a current ID and a secure collar. Take a picture of your pet with you just in case he gets lost. I cannot emphasize it enough that your pets are a part of your family. Plan ahead and make sure they are included in your disaster plans.

There are so many brands and types of dog food on the market that you can get dizzy just walking down the pet aisle of your supermarket. When selecting a dog food, it’s important to check the ingredients. Here are some tips that may help you make a healthy selection for your pet.

A very simple rule is that MEAT should always be the first thing that you see in the ingredients.
Always look for the source of the meat. Is it lamb, beef etc.?
Fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6 should be included in the label as they are important for your dog’s skin and coat.
If you see ingredients such as vitamin C or E or citric acids, these are acceptable preservatives.
Avoid foods containing wheat, artificial flavoring, soy, corn, coloring or by products.
All good dog foods should contain a blend of fruits and vegetables. These are natural antioxidants.
Avoid preservatives such as BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin.
A basic rule of thumb to follow is to avoid any dog food where GRAIN is the main ingredient and avoid any dog food that lists more than one source of grain in the first few ingredients. Dogs and cats must get their protein from meat not grain. Remember, never use dog treats for your dogs main diet. The necessary nutrition is just not there.

As soon as you get your puppy, you should consider getting him vaccinated. He first vaccinations will help him build up immunity to disease. What shots should your puppy get? Most dogs receive the rabies shot as well as combination vaccine called DHLPP. It’s administered as a series of shots and will guard your pup against diseases like distemper, hepatitis, leptosporosis, parainfluenza, and parvo virus. In order to keep his immunity up, your dog will probably get these shots for the rest of his life. Always talk to your veterinarian about what is best for your pet. Your vet may recommend that your adult dog get vaccinated less frequently. Depending on where you live or when you are planning on going with your dog, he may also need to be vaccinated against kennel cough, corona, lyme disease or giardia.

In addition to his vaccinations, make sure your pup is given the proper food and lots of exercise and play time. He should have a dog crate, dog water bowl and lots of dog toys to play with.

There is a sad story from a friend here in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. She had to put her 17 year old cat down for CRF or Chronic Renal Failure. This disease is progressive and terminal but with patience, a good veterinarian, early diagnosis and the right pet medication, the condition could be managed effectively for some time. Life expectancy with this disease depends on how well the cat responds to treatment. Each cat is an individual and there are no set rules as to how long your cat will live with this condition. My friend’s cat lived quite a while, then suddenly developed seizures which worsened over just a day or two.

Early symptoms of this disease are increased water consumption and urination. If you notice this, take your cat to the vet for a blood test. The earlier the diagnosis, the better.

Remember, your pets count!

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Many middle ages and senior dogs, especially those that are overweight develop benign tumors under their skin. These growths are usually located on the belly or the upper legs and are generally harmless. If you notice a lump on your dog, have your veterinarian check it out. If it is a benign tumor and the dogs movement is not compromised, no treatment is necessary but it is still a good idea to keep an eye on the fatty deposit to make sure that it doesn’t grow. Your veterinarian can biopsy the growth every now and then to check for any cancerous changes. If your dog has one of these growths (lypoma), there is a chance that he will develop more. This doesn’t mean that you should dismiss any new growths or bumps. Have them checked out. Ask your vet to give each one a proper exam. Usually no pet medication is prescribed and nothing else has to be done.

Your friends are coming over for a visit and you’re worried about all of the fur on the chairs and sofa left by your beloved pet. Here are some tips for removing pet hair from the furniture. You’ll need some inexpensive tools for this job. A rubber tipped brush can be used to ball up longer cat and dog hair from couches and rugs. I use a lint roller because my cats hair is short. Use the kind with disposable sticky sheets. Even a piece of packing tape will do for a small area. A damp dryer sheet will pick up some pet fur as well. It’s also a good idea to keep cotton throws on the seats of your furniture. It’s a little extra laundry but at least you won’t have your guests going home with a bunch of fur on their pants! Remember in addition to playing with your pet with his dog or cat toys, brush him regularly. This will keep the shedding down a little.

Cock a poo is a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. Sometimes this breed is refer to as a “spoodle.” A Cock a poo may be a great choice for people looking for a fun loving and non shedding dog. One thing that makes cock a poos popular is their short, curly, teddy bear type hair and hypoallergenic coat. They are also friendly to all ages of your family. Cock a poos have a clown like personality. They are very smart and outgoing and they’ll keep you company. Cock a poos need a good amount of exercise. If your considering having one in an apartment, make sure he has lots of dog toys maybe even a dog exercise pen and that he gets plenty of exercise. Take him out for frequent and long walks.

I always recommend that you feed your cat a variety of foods and include both wet and dry food. If your cat has been eating dry food, how do you get him to also enjoy some wet food in his diet especially if he’s a finicky feline?

Here are some tips that may help with the transition.

Look for the flavors of dry food that your cat likes. If he likes the flavor of salmon dry food, buy some cans of salmon flavored wet food.

Mix some wet food with dry food. Include flavors that your cat enjoys.

Mix up the flavors. I always get many different flavors for my cats. Cats do get bored eating the same flavor over and over.

When starting the wet food, take the dry food away for awhile. If your cat is used to dry food and sees both, they may just go over to the bowl with the dry food in it.

Use a shallow bowl when feeding wet food.

Heat the wet food up for just a few seconds. The smell may entice kitty to try it.

There aren’t many dog supplies more important for any dog owner than a retractable dog leash. No matter the size, age or energy level of the dog, a retractable leash will guide your canine companion on any excursion you undertake together. Dog leashes are mandatory almost everywhere you will go. Unlike a heavier metal lead, the retractable dog leashes are lightweight and much more comfortable for most dogs, allowing them more space to move about freely. (Note: agitated or harder-to-control dogs may not do well with this type of leash, as their constant pulling could hurt his neck and tire him out, and not in a good way.) The handles are also made with a soft grip to allow everyday ease of use and prevent potential injury for the dog walker.

A retractable dog leash will also inhibit inappropriate urination, defecation, digging, damaging the property of others, and being aggressive with other dogs or people. It will also keep them out of traffic and keep them from getting lost.

We all go through it with our healthy cats. Healthy cats have healthy claws which means furniture destruction. All cats need to scratch and if you do not provide them with their own place, they will choose places on their own. Places you don’t want them to ruin. I have a cat who decided to scratch on one of my oriental rugs. The solution is to buy a good cat scratching post and train your cat to use it. Unfortunately many people buy a scratching post that their cat never touches. Do not buy a flimsy, light scratching post with thin soft carpeting. They will never use it and continue ruining your furniture.

The best posts are covered with a hemp product called “sisal.” It looks like thick twine wrapped around the pole. Cats love to dig their claws into this! The post should have a large, heavy post. Make sure is tall enough for your cat and make sure that it is study enough as not to tip over. Make sure that the scratching post is in a pleasant, accessable location. It’s a good idea to place the post in your cats sleeping area. Also place it where there are people. Don’t put it in a corner in the basement. Your cat will not use it. A good scratching post will save you the headache of replacing your furniture.